California's Budget

By Robert "Butch" Dole

Spending is way up, revenue is way down. It's time for change.

Businesses are leaving California and taking jobs with them. Fewer small businesses are being created. Every day more Californian's are being layed off. Even California Highway Patrolmen are being layed off.

Farmers are tilling less acerage due to urban sprawl and illegal foreign imports.

Our infrastructure is steadily deteriorating.

All of this and more needs our attention.

We have a right and an obligation to change what is happening to California.

The flow of dollars in education must be redirected so that teachers do not have to spend their own money for books and supplies. Our children CAN receive a better education for less money. As in business, when middle management grows too large, cuts are made.

I don't support reducing the size of our Highway Patrol, local law enforcement or our firemen. Their feet on the street keep our state and communities safe.

In order to put people back to work California will have to become business friendly again. Tax incentives, changing Workmen's Compensation, not just reforming Workmen's Compensation, and by helping to keep liability and health insurance costs down we can accomplish this. We must actively prosecute fraud within the Workmen's Compensation system also.

Sure, we can bring a large company such as an IBM to California with those incentives and they'll employ 2000 people. But by cutting governmental red tape, the paperwork and fees involved in starting a small business we could help to create 2000 startup companies creating 2, 3, 5 even 10 times that number of jobs.

We are not going to solve all of our budget woes with one stroke of the pen. We are going to have to make cuts across the board and work together to bring California back to greatness. We cannot allow business as usual to be the rule of the day. We have the opportunity for change in THIS election. Career politicians are scrambling to make changes now. Why? Because they want to save their jobs.

No, I don't have political experience. I view this as a plus. Can I lead? Yes. I am a man who's confident in his abilites and I know that there is a lot of hard work ahead. I can and will take responsibility for my decisions and will communicate with the people of California whether the news is good or bad.

No excuses.